Green is a magic colour: 10 Shades Saga

There’s a lot of focus on the environment at the moment, more and more people are thinking “how can I do more?” and realising that all of our actions are making an impact and subsequently have consequences. We all know (or should know) who Greta Thunberg is by now, not only did her speech at the UN Climate Action Summit go viral but she lead 150 countries in the 2019 Climate Strike. Therefore it’s only right that we do a blog themed ‘if Greta can do it then so can we’ – Here are 10 ways you can reduce your footprint and go green! 

1. Morning, afternoon, evening… Whenever your favourite shower time is, this is where you can start. Reducing your shower time by even 2 minutes can massively cut your water consumption and as a bonus, this will save you a lot of money in the long run! Save even more energy and treat yourself to the odd cold shower, not only does this have the benefits of improved circulation, relief of depression, strengthened immunity, healthy skin and hair (the list goes on), but you will also use way less energy. It’s a small change but it will go a long way. If it’s the acoustics you’re after Shower Singers, no one said anything about staying in the bathroom for any less time!

2. Keeping it in the bathroom, at number 2 we have the toothbrush. We’re all used to a classic plastic toothbrush but what we don’t know or fail to acknowledge is the fact that once we’re done with our bristled friend, their journey doesn’t end with us. In fact, that’s just the beginning of their story! Plastic toothbrushes hang around for over 400 years before they decompose! To put this into perspective, if William Shakespeare had a plastic toothbrush, the toothbrush he had at the time of his death in 1616 would only just be composing now. To quote Owen Wilson, “Wow”. With this in mind, we should all really be switching to bamboo brushes.

3. Now we’re ready to leave the homestead and get off to work, time for final checks. Keys? Phone? Umbrella? Check. Have you unplugged? No? Well, maybe you should consider doing so. If you unplug your devices while you’re out at work then this will prevent phantom electricity from being consumed. Your kettle, phone charger and rock polisher won’t run away if you leave them unplugged, I’m sure they come pre housetrained. 

4. So now we’re on our way to work, yay! Do we need to be driving in? Is your commute possible to do on public transport, even if it’s once a week? Consider No Wheels Wednesday! There are so many options these days, public transport is better than ever, car-pooling isn’t just for “Soccer Moms”, you could bike, skate, spread your wings and fly! It’s your prerogative. 

5. Before I go into number 5, please hear me out. Vegans get a lot of stick, but for what? I get that not everyone is ready to completely turn their backs on eating meat but cutting down for even a couple of meals a week will absolutely lessen your impact on the environment. IME said that it takes between 500 and 4000 litres of water to produce 1kg of wheat, whilst it takes between 5000 and 20,000 litres to produce 1kg of meat. Embrace Meat-Free Mondays!!

6. Remaining on a foodie theme, let’s talk bringing our own lunch to work. Buying lunch each day may not seem like a big deal, a bag of crisps and a sandwich here and there makes no difference to anything, right? This all adds up though, lunch on-the-go in the UK is creating around 11 BILLION pieces of packaging each year! We all say we don’t have time to meal prep, my personal tip is always leftovers from the night before – two meals with one stone!

7. My next tip is something I mentioned in a previous blog post, so those who keep an eye on my blogs (Dad I’m talking to you), should already know this. For those who haven’t read it (probably everyone else), I’ll catch you up. Make the switch to reusable drink containers, coffee, water, etc etc. Check it out here! 

8. I wanted to give a fresh idea for number 8. Consider this: Clothes Swap. The Fast Fashion industry is the second biggest polluter in the world only after oil, producing a huge 10% of the world’s carbon emissions each year! We’re always being told to recycle, upcycle, unicycle, and everything in between. Why don’t you try gathering your work colleagues and try a clothes swap? You may be getting sick of your work wardrobe so why not mix it up, that shirt of Becky’s you’re always complimenting could be getting really old for her and could be yours simply by trading it for that polo neck shes loves. The possibilities are seriously endless. 

9. I don’t know anyone that likes receiving junk mail. It’s a huge waste of time, energy and trees! It’s actually possible to stop receiving it, just contact the senders and opt-out. It’s the old-fashioned version of unsubscribing to junk emails, but it’s worth it for home and the office.

10. This last tip is something I found whilst writing this piece which I enjoyed so I thought I’d share it. To extend the life of your flowers (also reducing waste), pour a dash of vodka into the vase with the water! Instead of having your midweek Moscow Mule, donate that vodka measure to that bunch of flowers you got yourself in Aldi because they were on offer. 

I hope my 10 shades of green were insightful, maybe you’ll even try one. If you want to chat more about putting spirits in your bouquet’s drink or even better, you want to chat about how seemingly random blogs like this one can help your business online then get in touch with Team Embryo through our website or call us on 0161 327 2635!